Original Corners

What we found
In this picture you can see a new aluminum monument (the shiny thing next to my foot). This is what we are setting when we re-establish a section corner. It is about 2 feet 6 inches long and is buried so that 10 inches of the monument are above ground and is then surrounded by a pile of stones.

What is harder to see is what makes this particular monument so exciting.

There is a piece of pink ribbon that is floating on the water just above the new monument. That ribbon is tied to a 4' alder pole that the original surveyors set in 1895. Wayne found the original wood post and set the new monument on top of it.

The close-up in the below picture does not do it justice.


Why this is exciting
This extremely rare. Imagine putting a wood post in the middle of the woods. Would it last more than 100 years? Could it survive the rain and snow without rotting? What about loggers that cut down all of the trees around it, would it stay standing? Would the bird, bugs, deer and moose leave it alone?

In most cases, no.

This particular hunk of wood was stuck in a swamp 115 years ago and remains only because the swamp water preserved it. But that is not enough.  It is also right next to the face of such a steep cliff that no animal or person (other than stubborn surveyors) would ever come near it.

So far we have recovered 20% of the original corners, and that is much better than expected. Most surveyors would be thrilled to find 10%, so we are pretty happy.